


A Dork In Shining Armor

by dtbookworm



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bonding, Dork Chris Hartley, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Humor, Insecurity, Late Night Conversations, Nerd Chris Hartley, Protective Chris Hartley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:36:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27397336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dtbookworm/pseuds/dtbookworm
Summary: It's safe to say that Chris and Jessica aren't the best of friends. Actually, they're far from two peas in a pod. But Chris is the only person with the technological know how to work a camera and unfortunately, Jessica has to rely on his expertise if she wants to become a model.But maybe there's more to the dork then Jessica realizes. In return, maybe Jessica isn't such a bubble brained girl after all.
Relationships: Ashley Brown/Chris Hartley, Chris Hartley & Jessica Riley, Mike Munroe/Jessica Riley, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 20





	1. Queen and Geek

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I'm excited for this fanfic. Jess and Chris's relationship in the name really caught my attention. I mean, c'mon they should've had way more interactions (would've made the game even more humorous).

The diner wasn't _too_ bad. The scent of cheesecake adorned with strawberries wafted through the air, mixing with the mediocre smell of coffee. An old red juke box was playing Ella Fitzgerald's "Moonlight in Vermont." The only thing Jessica didn't appreciate, and couldn't help if she wanted to, were the truckers that kept coming in and out and glancing at her as she sat at the corner booth. She huffed out air as she rolled her eyes as men surreptitiously (or so they thought) ogled her up and down.

But even the men with bear bellies and scraggly beards and arms as thick as tree trunks failed in comparison to the present company she was dealing with.

Jessica eyed her plate, which consisted of a Cobb salad and only a couple of fries with no salt. "Hey. Hold up. Chris?"

On the other side of the table, Chris scooped up a spoonful of macaroni and cheese with bacon bits and stuffed in his mouth. He talked around his food. "Wuz wrong?"

"Ok, ew. Gross. Chew your food and swallow you pig." She pointed to her plate." Did you take one of my fries?"

Chris swallowed and dabbed at his mouth like a kingsman at the roundtable. It was in a manner that made Jessica wonder if there was a planet where nerds of all kind, like him, could roam free and be weird and...just...be _really_ weird. "You have no proof that I did so, Ms. Riley."

"All you ordered was the macaroni and cheese. Wait." Jessica scooted forward in her seat to look at her bowl. "Yeah. I see some of my fries underneath your food."

"You do?" Huh." He arched an eyebrow, making a face as though they just appeared out of nowhere. "Well, must be my birthday."

"You're such an idiot. Don't _touch_ my food. You should've ordered fries then."

Chris gasped and dropped his fork on the porcelain bowl. The sun from the outside caused a glare to form on his glasses. "Jess. How do you expect me to be a heartthrob if I'm just eating whatever I want, whenever I want, and _how_ ever I want."

"Wha...what do you mean _however_? You know what. No. Don't even. And you're the equivalent of a public bathroom in New Jersey. Heartthrob my ass."

If Chris showed any signs of his feelings getting hurt, it didn't show. He only tucked his folded hands under his chin and fixed her one of his signature shit eating grins. All teeth. "And you, my promiscuous friend, are the equivalent of a Sex In The City Girl only with slightly, _slightly_ worse acting."

"Creep."

"That's what I be."

"Ugh!"

"Ugh!" Chris repeated, adding more shrill to his voice.

"You're so annoying."

"You're soooo annoying."

Ok. No. That was it. She couldn't do this. Riding around in his deathtrap of a van. Eating at third rate diners with scuffed black and white floors and leering men. Listening to Chris ramble on and on and _on_ about the most trivial of things made Jessica want to toss herself out of the moving van. Once they got back home, she'd strangle Mike with her bare hands for telling her that he couldn't accompany her on the road trip to help her pose for pictures for her portfolio.

Jessica wished he was here with her. His arms would be around her and she would lean her head back into his chest and listen to his heartbeat. The sun, emitting tangerine and pink colors across the sky would feel like a dream. Mike would kiss the space underneath her ear and she'd feel like the lyrics to SWV's "Weak" that Matt made her listen to.

**Weak in the knees.**

**I can hardly speak.**

**I lose all control.**

**When something takes over me.**

But she wasn't losing control in a good way now. No, with Chris, she was going mentally insane with his shit eating grins, the way he precociously rubbed his glasses, his incessant talk of Watch Dogs, a video game that Jessica had _no_ interest in. They were only three days in out of their two week trip and already Jessica wished she could fast forward, skip the Chris bits, and get home to Mike.

Jessica stood up from the red vinyl booth with tears in it. "I have to make a call," she announced.

"Cool." Chris looked at her with doleful eyes. He made his voice more voluptuous...well as voluptuous as a 19 year old nerd can. "Calling Mike?"

"None of your business, Austin Powers."

"Hey, that's my favorite movie. You know, Ash, Josh, and I watched it back to back to back and let me tell you..."

Jessica left before he could finished. Even as she exited the diner, Chris was still talking which made her groan louder. Outside, the heat battered down on her and she already wiped sweat from her forehead. There wasn't a city for miles in either direction of the dilapidating road. Overhead, the sky the color of a wildfire blazed. It would be better if she was with the right person instead of that analytical geek wad Chris.

She pulled out her phone and tapped Mike's name. "C'mon. Answer. Answer." She paced the gravel space in front of the 1960s style diner.

The phone clicked. _"Hey, babe. Enjoying' the trip in Nowhereville?"_

The irritation Jessica felt eradicated when hearing Mike's voice. It was like honey and azaleas, smooth as butter in her ear. "Hey, babe. Before I answer that, I just want to let you know that when I get back, I'm strangling you with my bare hands."

_"Ooooh. I look forward to it."_

"No, I'm serious, I'll do it."

_"With a little help from a step ladder maybe."_

Jessica laughed despite herself. She combed out her hair with her fingers. "Ok, Big Man, keep that up and I might not let you see my portfolio."

Mike gasped on the other end of the line. _"Does it have that one picture? You in the blue bikini?"_

"The very one," Jessica said proudly. She walked to the white withered van she was sharing with Chris and leaned against the side. "But since you keep making fun of my height."

 _"Ok, ok, ok, I'm sorry._ "

"Hmm. I don't know, Mr. President. That didn't sound very convincing."

 _"Ok, ok."_ Mike cleared his throat in a prestigious manner, like he was preparing to speak in front of Congress. _"I, Michael Munroe, who misses you daily, apologizes for conducting myself in a manner that tarnished my chances for seeing your portfolio."_

"That's better." Jessica sighed into the phone, gazing across the barren landscape. "Why couldn't you come with me?"

Mike dropped the playfulness in his voice and turned it into something sincere. "You know I don't know how to work my way around a camera. Plus, I'm preparing for my debate speech. I asked around and Chris was the only one available."

"And you couldn't have, I don't know, like, picked a _better_ person to do it?"

_"Chris isn't that bad."_

Placing a hand on her hip, Jessica watched Chris through the window. He was on his phone, big surprise, laughing at something. Probably something technology related or TV show related or whatever it was that occupied the space in his head. "Michael. This is the same Chris who tells us those corny ass dad jokes every day. The _same_ Chris who wears more layers than a freakin' onion. And he makes fun of me every chance he gets."

_"Oh. You mean like you do to him?"_

Jessica straightened her spine against the van, not wanting to ruffle her current outfit; a white blouse with a translucent neckline with ripped jean shorts. "That's different. _He's_ an easy target. I'm not."

_"Except for your height."_

"Munroe," she warned.

 _"Look, babe, there's really nothing I can do. Remember, Chris is one of the good ones. A little weird and a little, uh,_ _cringey, but good. Just stick it out, think about that portfolio 'cause I know you've worked damn hard for it. Don't let anything deter your chances at this. You're one of a kind. Light of my life."_

Jessica felt her heart flutter in her chest. A lot of people told her that she was beautiful with her bottle blonde hair and hourglass figure. Mike's words were the foundation of her drive, as well as the fact that she _did_ work hard. Eating right. Exercise. Crazy diets that would be questioned by the average American. At times, and she would never, _ever_ , admit this to Mike, but she sometimes considered going into the bathroom and....

No. She didn't need that thought clouding her mind with her boyfriend on the other end. "You're right. I'll tough it out."

 _"I know you will."_

The door to the diner opened and out came Chris in his Zelda t shirt and blue jeans.

"Gotta go, babe. Love you."

Jessica could feel Mike's smile. _"I love you too,"_ he said before hanging up.

Chris sidled up next to her and crossed his arms. "Well, I don't know about you, but that was the _best_ lunch I've ever had. Whooh."

His breath wafted into her face and Jessica gagged. "Yeah. Your breath confirms that. And stop standing so close to me you bloated beach whale."

"I can not help it that my frame requires room."

"Well, guess what. I just talked to Mike." Jessica would no way relay the _exact_ conversation she had with Mike to Chris so she thought she'd stretch the truth a bit. "And he said that if you keep making this trip a living hell, he'll beat the glasses of your butt."

Chris looked around as if expecting Mike to jump from around the corner and do the very thing. "Oh no. I'm so scared. I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared. Hide me!" He then stopped and fixed her with a dead faced look. "Nice try, but me and Mike are like this." He coiled his forefinger and middle finger around one another. "Tight. But not tight as me and my bro-ham Josh."

Ok. Yeah. That backfired. "You know what. Let's just get on with this."

One of the locations was right here. Jessica walked toward the entrance of the diner, right under the unlit neon sign of Frankie's diner.

Jessica watched Chris as he opened the back of the van and brought out a professional looking DSLR camera. And it surprised Jessica because he _looked_ like he knew what he was doing. He took off a lense and tried on another, shook his head when one didn't seem right, and nodded when he seemed to find the right one. "Alright, Ms. Riley. Hope you're photo ready."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. Hence me standing under here posing."

"Would it help if I played some music in the background? Maybe the kind where the music goes, _uutz-ah-uutz-ah-uutz-ah."_

"Just. Take. The. Pictures."

Jessica posed. First, she tried one with her hands interlocked over her head, looking down. Then she had her back to the metal of the diner, looking across Chris's shoulder at the horizon. She felt at peace, posing in front of the camera. She loved the different versions of herself, whether she was in noir mode or in full color. It fought off the feelings of insecurity, of the feeling that she wasn't good enough, that she was merely _portraying_ a pretty girl.

_Pretty. Pretty silvery gray eyes, pretty blonde hair, pretty everything. Isn't there more to me than pretty? Aren't I pretty on the inside?_

When they were done, Jessica eased herself into the passenger seat of the van. The air in the car smelled like old seats with a slight hint of nacho cheese. "This van is a death trap. Just thought you should know."

Chris adjusted the rearview mirror where a pair of gaudy pink fuzzy dice hung. "What's the matter, Princess? Not used to riding in the vehicles of the common folk?"

The engine sputtered making the front car vibrate. Jessica's teeth chattered in her mouth as she rocked mildly in her seat. "It's more like I'm not used to riding next to a faux haired, pasty, tall for no reason tool."

"Oh. That's all?"

Jessica gave up. Clearly, her insults weren't getting through to him. "Just drive, Hartley."

"Right away, Ms. Riley." Chris tipped his imaginary hat and put his sandal clad foot on the gas petal.

The van rattled onto the road, down the road that stretched toward the edge of the world. Oh Wonder was leaking through the ancient radio, their voices withered by rain and grain making the trip _a little_ more bearable. Possibility was blooming in her as they traveled like a shooting star across the universe under the summer sun. Jessica leaned her head back and sneaked a glance at Chris. He was singing, horribly and tragically, to the lyrics. He nudged Jessica to join him.

She declined.

It's going to be a long two weeks with the world's biggest, monumental, geek in the history of the world.


	2. Welcome to Comfy Inn.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Jess check into a motel, meeting a pretentious man and his surprise husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

"I don't know, Ash. I mean, I don't know what to do. I am a man of unlimited talent and, as much as it pains me to say it, I've exhausted all my resources."

On the other end of the line, Ashley laughed curtly, which made Chris smile from ear to ear. _"Unlimited? Hmm, yeah, don't know I'd say that."_

"An-y-ways," Chris drawled out over her snickering, "Jess is so difficult. I mean, I tell the best jokes, I let her play with the radio. And Ash. Get this. She is soooooo mean to me. Like _really_ mean."

_"Mmmm."_

Chris scoffed. "Uh. Wow. Are you even listening to me?"

_"Chris. I was in the middle of reading when you called me. Don't you know it's like yanking a fish out of water or plucking a star out of the universe when people do that?"_

The way Ashley spoke of her love for books made Chris feel better. He never got it. How ink on paper could suck his girlfriend into a world of possibility and wonder and enchantment. And love. He'd do anything to be with her. He could picture her on the other end of the line, wearing a hoodie and yoga pants, curled up in bed like a pill bug, tracing her finger along the words that painted her mind in colors as vivid as the dusk sky overhead.

"Well, sorry to take you away from your book to talk to you about _my_ problems."

Sighing, Ashley groaned. She must've stood up from her reading position. _"Jess really isn't that bad. She can be really cool."_

"Jess? Cool? As in nice? As in give-Mary-Mother-Teresa-a-run-for-her-money cool? Nah, nah, nah. I don't buy it." Chris changed gears on the van and it hacked out a spur of exhaust in return. "You know I'd believe you if she didn't make fun of my pasty skin."

_"Chris. You are pasty."_

"What? Moi? You're whiter than I am, Ms. I Burn Easily."

 _"Oh shush it four eyes,"_ Ashley said playfully in a British accent.

"All the better to see you with when I get back, my love."

In the passenger seat, Jessica groaned. She was resting her head on her knuckles. "You do know that I'm on high barf alert over here, right?"

"Hold on, Ash. Hold on.' Chris turned to Jessica and said, "Uh, exsqueeze me? On the phone here. Rude." Chris put his phone back to his ear as Jessica flipped him the middle finger. "Sorry, Ash. _Some_ people just aren't good company. It's like Jess has faulty wiring or something."

"You've got faulty wiring. And the same can be said for this junk heap." Jessica flipped down the sun visor only for the ancient thing to come down completely. "Jesus Christ. Piece of crap."

Chris stopped at a red light and hiked his shoulder to keep his phone from slipping. "See what I mean."

The sound of typing on the other end of the line told Chris that Ashley was writing. He waited for the day she'd let him read some of her writing, to get a glimpse of her brain. _"Well, Chris, that van is a certified death trap. Remember how I fell asleep against the window?"_

"Wow, Ash. Wow." The light turned green and the van lurched forward. "You're really gonna bring that up?"

_"I could've died."_

"I had the lock fixed now so there will be no spontaneous opening passenger doors if one's weight is against it. Plus, me and Josh were there. We weren't gonna let you fall. I wasn't."

 _"I will be forever_ _traumatized."_

Chris laughed into the phone, but it was followed by a yawn. It was getting late. He didn't want to let Ashley go. He enjoyed deliberately making Jess's trip a nightmare, let's bet clear, but she wasn't Ashley. Ashley would've laughed at his corny jokes, even could hold a conversation on topics that regular functioning human being would find childish and just plain nerderific.

_"Be careful out there Chris."_

"I will, Ash. I'll be back soon."

_"And give Jess some peace of mind will ya?"_

Chris looked over at Jess who was trying to reapply her lipstick in the rattling passenger seat. When a bump in the road made her lose her hold on it, it created a red streak across her cheek. She grumbled and groaned as if she was a demon spawned from The Netherworld.

"Yeah," Chris said into the phone. "Not gonna happen. Too much fun."

Chris could hear springs on the other end, telling him that Ashley was settling back into bed, back to her book. _"I love you more than books and the sound of pages turning and cinnamon scented candles,"_ Ashley said softly.

Swallowing, Chris obliged her. _"I love you more than Rick and Morty and Samsung and all the apps in my phone."_

Chris hit the END button, the air around him getting smaller. How one girl made him feel like a giant was unbelievable.

Jessica wiped away the streak across her cheek. "So when are we getting to our next place?"

Chris turned on the headlights at this point. Dusk plunged the world into darkness, the faintest sliver of mauve and orange on the horizon. "Well, it's pretty late. We're gonna have to stop at a motel."

"I'm sorry? A _motel_? _"_ She visibly shuddered. "Do you know how many creeps and weirdos go lurking around in those places?"

"Hey, we'll fit right in then!"

" _You'll_ fit right in." Jessica crossed her arms. "I'm not a weirdo or a creep. You encompass both things in one dad bod."

"Excuse me? I will have you know that underneath this t shirt I happen to harbor an eight pack."

A scornful smile etched its way across Jessica's face. Uh oh. Whenever she gave off that bewitching smile, the gloves were coming off and on came the brass knuckles. "Well, I bet Ashley just _loves_ your so called "eight pack." She used her fingers as air quotes. "I bet she possibly _beams_ whenever it feels like she's being suffocated by ten pounds of potatoes."

Chris's fingers tightened around the steering wheel. He should've seen that coming, should've tapped into his clairvoyant abilities to get ready for the insult. Usually, her insults rolled off his back like water. They were bubbly, half brained things that wouldn't deter the confidence of a fifth grader. But...well...her making a jab at his body was one thing. It was another thing to involve Ashley with it.

"Actually no. She, uh..." Chris cleared his throat, insecurities drowning him as if he was trapped in a glass case and it was slowly filling with water. "We haven't, um, _done_ anything. Yet."

He waited for Jessica's response. A put down, a wave of her hand to show how irreverent the situation was. So it actually surprised him when she said. "No? Why? I thought you guys liked each other?"

"We do, oh, yeah, we do." Chris nodded vigorously, so much so his glasses nearly drooped off his face. "It's just. We haven't really gotten around to, um, _that_ part of our relationship."

"But aren't you..."

"Look, uh, Jess, I really _really_ don't want to talk about this. Especially not with you." Chris realized how harsh he sounded, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth like dark chocolate infused with coffee beans. "Sorry."

Chris stole a quick peak at Jessica in the passenger seat. Her eyes were wide now, her silver eyes like comet tails under the moonlight. It was a look that Chris couldn't decipher. Sympathy? Disgust? Pity?

They were silent until they pulled up to a motel called Comfy Inn. A blue neon sign flickered, probably broken. The van stopped in front of the office building, yellow light leaking from the glass window.

The pair got out of the car, taking in the surroundings. Humming soda machines were on the outer walkway of the second floor, humming and producing a soporific effect. Only one car, a black truck, was parked near the entrance. Log and small toy scarecrows were placed on a display near the office door. 

"Hey," Chris said, hitching his thumb to the flickering blue neon sign. He wanted to lighten the mood that was brought on by the dreary motel and the almost conversation he had with Jess. "Perfect place for another photo wouldn't you say, princess?"

Jessica shrugged her shoulders. "Looks good." She walked over to the sign and underneath it she was bathed in cobalt blue. In the light, Chris had to admit it. She _was_ pretty. Not his type, but definitely Mike's. He must be lucky to have her.

As she posed, Chris snapped away at his camera, getting different angles of her where shadows crossed her face and where the blue highlighted her eyes. He wondered how she was able to do that, how she's comfortable with letting people see her figure, her body, her cellulite, or lack there of. No layers, no cover ups. What would Ashley think if she saw him completely naked. Would she be revolted? Taken aback? Denounce him and go for guys with muscles and abs like Matt and Mike?

When they were done, they stepped int the lobby that smelled of must and pine sol, making Chris gag slightly. An ancient rug that looked as though it hadn't been vacuumed since the 60s occupied the floor, shapes of triangles and circles crowding one another. Wilting ferns were potted in the corners. A phonograph was in the left hand corner, just behind the desk, spewing out an old timey tune. "After You've Gone." Ashley would've loved this place for the inspiration and hated it for the creepiness of it. "Wow," Chris said, wheeling in both of their luggage. "This is _charming."_

Jessica eyed a deer skull hanging over the leaning wooden front desk. "Uh, yeah, this place is as charming as a moldy loaf of bread."

"A moldy loaf of bread. Really?"

"What?"

" _Really_?" Chris inquired, leaning toward her comically. 

She pushed him slightly back. "Yes. Moldy bread. That's what I said."

"Ok. Yup. Just making sure."

Chris tapped the front bell. They waited for a few beats. When no one came, he tapped it again. "Yello? Anybody here?"

An office door opened off to the side and in came a man out of a 20s French movie. "Good evening, young ones. I take it you're staying overnight, yes?"

Chris was taken aback by the man's accent and attire. It was like he was plucked from an independent movie set in England and dropped into the present. A gold vest covered a white collared shirt and his sleeve was cinched with a tassel of some kind. "Oh, yes. We're staying for one night."

The man rested his elbows on the table where a deck of hards were. "It's lovely having guests here. Usually, we don't get many."

Jessica scoffed. "Can't imagine why."

"So, uh, cool place," Chris said, covering up Jess's blunt remark. "Very retro."

"Thank you, young man. I pride myself in keeping the decore here. It's a perfect place to just relax, get away, and perfect for romance. Young love."

There was an inclination in his voice that made Chris wonder _exactly_ what he meant by that. Only then did he realize that he was insuating that he and Jess were _together together_. "Uh, no, no no, uh, uh. We're not..."

"Together," Jess finished for him, seeming to come to realization. "I would never."

"With her," Chris pointed.

" _Ever_."

The man behind the desk, who's name still hasn't been given gave an amused smirk and chuckled. "Of course, of course. Fate brought you two together here for a reason. Such is the way of life. But just because you aren't together in _this_ reality, doesn't mean that you aren't in _others_. We all have ways of carving ourselves into each others lives. Only when we drink from the Lithe that we can start over and try other methods to get to ones heart."

Either the guy was voted Most Stuffy and Pretentious in high school or he was taken from an Oscar Wilde novel. Man, Ashley, she'd get a kick out of this guy. "Well," Chris said, "rest assured, man, there' only _one_ girl for me and she's back home."

"And one man for me," said Jessica, taking on a more congenial tone. Maybe not full hearted friendliness, but close enough. 

"Yes, you're significant others are wonders. I have one of my own, you see." The man opened a drawer and brought out a set of keys. "He and I have been together for quite some time. He's a psychologist, very dedicated. Me? I'm a curator."

"Um. A what?" Chris scratched his head in confusion.

"Why, I'm a collector and keeper of stories," the man said in a boastful way. "Tales told of love, requiems of the death, and so forth. I'm a keeper of adventures, of tome that examine human nature under stress, influenced by a greater evil. Let's say I know the outcome of each tale." The man winked at them, his light blue eyes twinkling something knowing and mischievous.

Welp. Ok. That' totally not weird. "Ok. thanks." Chris signed them in and grabbed the individual key. "Thanks, man."

"You're quite welcome. I trust you'll enjoy your stay and each other's company." The man stood and reached behind him for a peacoat and...a bowler hat? Who the hell wore one of those anymore? "I'll be on my merry way. Business needs attending to. People to instruct. Advice to be given."

Chris watched him with bewildered eyes. "Wait. You...you're not staying? What if something comes up?"

"Yeah. Because trust me, with Chris, there' a good chance of a fire or a flood happening in this place."

The man brushed past them in a relaxed manner. "Oh you won't be alone. Because here comes my relief."

Through the entrance, another man came in with a patient smile. "And time for you to go home and get some rest." The two men greeted each other and shared a kiss.

"Holy crap." Chris stepped forward and wished Ashley was here to share this moment with him. It was like a moment out of an indie YA novel or some shit like that. The fucking odds, right? "Dr. Hill?"

Dr. Hill tilted his head as if the situation was jut amusing and expected. "Christopher. How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm uh, here with a friend. Helping her out with a photoshoot." It occurred to Chris that Jessica didn't know who this man was or that he was Josh's psychologist. She wasn't in his circle of friends that was made up of Josh and Ash and himself, so of course she looked utterly confused and waited for an explanation.

Dr. Hill stuck out his hand. "The pleasure, Ms.?"

"Jessica. Jessica Riley. But you can call me Jess."

"Jess. Positively lovely." He hung his coat on the coatrack.

"Quite," the other man, the curator, said. "Well, I'm off. You three have a good night. Oh, Alan what would you like for breakfast in the morning, dear?"

Dr. Hill sat down in the brown leather chair and crossed his legs. "Hmm. I think quiche and a few berries will do."

"I'll make sure to put something sweet in it as well, love. Good night young stowaways."

"And you the same," Dr. Hill called after him. The curator winked before leaving. "I love that man," Dr Hill sighed, flipping through files on the desk.

"I didn't know you were married, Dr. Hill." Chris said watching the door for the curator to reappear. "Or that you worked here."

Dr. Hill nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I like to step away from analyzing patients and come here. to examine other in a more relaxed way. It's quite a relief."

"How do you two know each other?" Jessica asked, looking between Chris and Dr. Hill.

Chris didn't feel like it was his place to tell her that he was Josh's psychologist. After all, he didn't forget that she was one of the key players in pulling that dumb prank on Hannah last year and also one of the reasons why Hannah, along with Beth, disappeared into a winter night. Never to be seen again. "Oh," Chris cleared his throat. "He's an old friend of the Washingtons."

Dr. Hill looked unfazed by the somewhat lie. His graying hair looked wistful in the light of the jaded lamp. "That's right. It's my job to assist them during difficult times."

Chris could feel Jessica squirm slightly next to him. It was his job to watch over her, Mike's orders, and as much as he blamed Jess for the prank, he didn't like seeing her cool demeanor being replaced by someone unsure and meek. It wasn't _her_. Then again, which version was her? 

"We're gonna head to our rooms. Long day. It was cool talking with you, Dr. Hill."

Dr. Hill settled his feet over the desk and crossed his ankles. "Same to you Christopher. You and Jessica enjoy your stay." He lifted a newspaper and before Chris and Jessica reached the stairs, he said in a distracted, but knowing way. "We'll talk again soon."

***

When they were out of view of Dr. Hill, Jessica let out a sigh of relief. "We'll talk again soon?" She repeated his words. "The hell does that mean?"

"I don't know." Chris said, huffing as he lugged the suitcase up the stairs. "Maybe he'll just see us later."

The music from the phonograph was trickling away as they walked down the red carpeted hallway. "I guess." Jessica tried to shake the feeling of guilt when the Dr. mentioned the Washingtons, but she couldn't. It was ensnaring her heart the way grass crosses over an old truck. "Creeped me out. Ok, wow, you can't be _that_ out of shape."

Chris nearly knocked into a side table in the hallway where a vase of dying roses was. "Well, maybe if you didn't pack fifty pounds of makeup."

"Oh, right, like _you_ packed light." Jessica tapped the lime green suitcase with her foot. "I bet there's every type of phone, tablet, and whatever it is you hoard."

"You know, there's actually a body in mine. Had to dismember a couple of guys before the trip." Chris whispered in a conspiratorial tone. "Gotta get rid of the evidence."

"How Ashley puts up with you I'll never understand."

"Jut one of my _many_ powers." Chris popped the collar of his t shirt to see if Jessica would laugh.

She didn't. Everyone's a critic.

Jessica took her hot pink suitcase from Chris. "Alright. Give me my key. I want to get settled in."

"Ok. But, uh, why'd you take the suitcase?"

"Because we're sleeping in separate rooms, genius. I take my stuff, you take yours, we go our separate ways."

"Hmm. Um." Chris stopped in his tracks. He looked at Jessica with a fearful smile, the kind that tried to hide something big and belittling it by trying to keep a friendly face. "Ok. Now. Jess. Don't get mad."

Jessica put a hand to her hip. "What?"

"Nope. Gotta promise you won't get mad."

"Chris, I'm pretty sure whatever you say is gonna irritate me. Everything that flies out of your mouth so far has. So out with it." Jessica felt her impatience rattling her bones. The hell was he hiding? Unless. Unless he really _did_ have a dead body? No. Nah. That's not it.

Chris continued to hop from foot to foot. "Well, as you know, we're kind of on a budget."

"Ok?"

"And _two_ rooms would take up expenses like food and gas money."

Jessica took in the one key he was holding and a horrifying, spine curdling sensation crawled up inside her. "Chris. What are you _saying?_ "

Like a circus performer, Chris spread his arms open wide. "We're sharing a room, roomie." Like a war soldier, he slung his arm over Jessica's shoulder who stood stock still. "Hope you like Watch Dogs."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! II loved writing the Curator and Alan as a couple.


	3. Star Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a chapter on body issues and versions of ourselves we show to people. Chris and Jess are likely candidates...even when Jess is PISSED.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you guys! Here's another chapter! sorry for the delay! Busy with reading and homework. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. ❤️❤️❤️

Chris examined the broken CD as if it was his own beating heart. Ok, so, maybe in retrospect he _should've_ told Jessica that they were going to share a room. And, upon further recognition, maybe it wouldn't have hurt to splurge on another room. Maybe then he wouldnt be mourning his broken copy of Watch Dogs.

"Jess. How _could_ you? This...this cardinal sin that you've done? Breaking my one of a kind Watch Dogs CD? It's not right." He shook his head in utter defeat. "Not right."

If Jessica displayed any regret, any ounce of shame for doing what she did, it wasn't apparent. She was busy setting her clothes on the one bed. Her pajamas, her other outfits for the photoshoot, and toiletries. "Oh, quit being a baby." She took her hair dryer and folded the cord around the handle. "It's not like you didn't bring along other stuff. You have your phone, your computer, a Vita, a Switch. You're basically an Apple Store."

Chris stood up from his haunches, the broken pieces of the CD still in his hands. "Wow, alright, ok." He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as if he heard an odious lie. "So, it's bad enough that you break my one of a kind...."

" _Not_ one of kind..."

"...CD of one of my favorite video games, like ever. Now. Ha. Now, you say that I'm basically associated with the Apple Store. Have you _ever_ seen me with an Apple Product? Ever? I don't even like _apples apples_. The little red fruit with the red skin? I don't even know what the point of the skin is. Tastes like wet cardboard or some shit. What's the deal with that?"

Jessica brushed her hands off after emptying the last of the contents of her suitcase. She then approached him, one foot in front of the other as if she was walking a runway, seeming to forget that they were inside a dingy hotel room that smelled of cats, dust, and year of decaying wood that made up the four walls surrounding them. "Chris. For the love of all that is decent, please shut up. I don't care about Watch Dogs or apples or whatever that flies out of that mouth of yours." She placed her hands on her hips and leaned her weight on her right hip. "It's bad enough that we're stuck in this rundown trash heap for the night, and it's even _more_ screwed up that I'm stuck for two weeks with _you_. So please. Cram. It."

The two only stared at one another, the analog clock above the bathroom door ticking away the moments like a metronome. Hate came in many forms. There was hate that burned bright like a supernova and there was hate that was as dim as a flame on a barely functioning stovetop. Chris's heart shuddered as he took in Jessica's words as cold as Ice and as sharp as a serrated butcher knife. Sure, he knew she didn't _like_ him and he for sure wasn't on her priority list in terms of friends.

But.

Did she truly _hate_ him? He was annoying, he had to agree with himself there, but was it enough for someone to despise him? To look at him as if he was a microorganism on the inside of a toilet seat?

"Ok, Jess," he said, his tone subdued like a jet lagged traveler. "You won't hear from me." The bathroom door creaked opened thanks to a gust of warm night air from the crack in the window. "Uh. You can go ahead and use the bathroom first. I'll stay out here and look over your photos."

Chris watched as she seemed to deflate slightly. She dropped her hands to her sides, smacking her thighs in the process. She opened her mouth, looking like she was fighting something inside of her that wanted to release something sacred. Instead, she gathered her pajamas, her Cherry Blossom Body Wash, and with sandal clad feet, went into the cramped bathroom, not giving the faux haired young man a second glance over.

As the shower water ran, he sat on the bed, cruising through the photos on his DSLR camera. He thought of the different versions of Jessica, how she seemed to portray different sides of her as she was under the influence of the camera. _This_ Jess? The one who was currently in the shower made him feel like that scrawny gangly young kid all over again. The one with _zero_ social skills. The one who was meek and mild before Josh came into his life.

It's funny how the past can catch up to you, especially in moments of defeat. Chris took off his glasses, his eyes carrying the burden of unshed tears sealed behind years of jokes and accents.

"CHRIIIIIIS!!!!"

Startled, Chris stood up, only to catch himself on the leg of the nightstand. He landed with a thud on the stiff carpet, nearly breaking the bridge of his glasses. "Jess? Ow, fuck. Jess? You okay?"

"EW! EW! EW! CHRIS! GET IN HERE!"

Righting himself, Chris jumped from foot to foot, weary of barging in on a potentially naked Jess. Then, given where they were, maybe some creep had climbed through the bathroom window. Who the hell knew?

"I'm coming Jess!" He charged to the bathroom door and began to open the door. Only a fraction of a second passed before Jessica bulldozed past him, clad in a towel. "Jess, you alright? Wha-what's wrong?"

"It's so big!" She shivered. 

"Jess. What's big?" Chris opened the bathroom door farther and scanned the bathroom. A slightly moldy green shower curtain followed by a matching green tub. A yellow tiled floor with a gaudy red bathroom mat. Nothing out of the ordinary. He was about to suggest that Jessica was playing a prank on him when Chris looked into the corner and saw it. The blackness of its fur was illuminated under the tawny bathroom light. Its tail, long and pink like an undercooked hotdog, dragged behind the creature. It's black beady eyes stared at Chris. "Holy crap. That's uh...that's a big, fuckin' rat."

The black rat with its pink tail and beady eyes skittered towards him. Reacting, Chris screamed, all Janet Leigh from _Psycho_ style and jumped onto the bed with Jessica. Both of them clutched each other, rocking the rickety bed frame as the rat skittered around the room, trying to find food or its house hold or whatever the hell it was rats did.

"Chris! Get down there and get rid of it!" Jess screamed. "Oh, God!"

Taken aback, Chris let out a curt laugh only to follow it up with more screaming. If Josh only saw him now. "Ha! You see the size of that thing? Ain't gonna happen."

"You're supposed to be the man here." She was still wet from her shower and Chris could feel his t shirt soaking through. 

"Correction, Jess, correction. I am a mouse." He bared his buck teeth to try to lighten the load of the room. Didn't work. "And mice are afraid of rats so I probably look like a juicy, 24/7 all you can eat buffet here."

The rat ran around the floor for a better part of a minute before burrowing under the door of the hotel room. After waiting for a minute to see if it would come back, Chris and Jessica let out a sigh of relief. This would _definitely_ one hundred percent sure, no doubt about it, be a story for Ashley. A smile formed on Chris's lips at the thought of her asking him questions, gathering information for a short story or even a novel idea.

Chris stepped off the bed first and, thinking about the encounter, immediately ran to his suitcase, pulled out his thick green commando sweater (Hey, you never know if it got cold in the Summer), folded it as best as he could and stuffed it under the door, covering the bottom of it so that the rat couldn't get back in. "Phew. There. Problem solved."

Jessica, after a little persuasion from Chris telling her that the rat was gone, gingerly stepped off the mattress as if it was a carriage. She had her hand over her mouth as she breathed in and out deeply, like a swimmer emerging from The Challenger Deep. She held her breath at moments and for sure Chris thought that she would start crying, that she would sink to the floor and lose faith in him completely. He braced for it, the stream of invective that would escape her lips that would make him feel less than what he already felt.

So it came as a great shock when Jessica, Ms. Homecoming Queen, the girl who insulted him whenever and _however_ she could began to snort. The snort opened the floodgate and the room was erupting with her laughter. Chris looked back on the situation as a whole as if it was a crappy B rated movie from the 80s. The rat, followed by his high scream, and jumping onto the bed with Jessica who was _still_ wearing a towel around her body made him join her in laughing, the levity making the room fell freer and lighter like a ballon riding high into the stratosphere.

"Oh, God," Jessica said, wiping her eyes. " _You_ were so scared."

"Me? Uh. What about you, Ms. Drama Queen? _Ew! Ew! Ew!_ " He flapped his arms like a struggling bird, mirroring her frantic movements. "Seriously?"

"Oh, shut up. You were screaming louder than I was homeboy."

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"I was calm as a deep sea cucumber."

" _Riiiight_."

The final dregs of laughter escaped from their system. Something, like a feeling of connectedness, blossomed in Chris as he looked at Jessica. It was like he had crossed a barrier and he was at the soft, ooey gooey center of a Tootsie Pop. "Jess, I, um...I'm sorry. About, you know, the room and..." He looked down at his feet. "I know I'm not, you know, the _first_ or even _tenth_ person you'd want to accompany you on this _grandiose_ adventure. If I had the choice to go with me, I'd pass." A small weak laugh escaped his lips. Sometimes it was involuntary like breathing, like if he _didn't_ laugh or lighten the load, he'd combust on the spot. "So. You know. Sorry and all."

Jessica only held her towel, looking him as if he was an emerging new element, something that she didn't thought she'd discovered. "It's..." She lifted her hand and lamely dropped it to her side. "It's fine, Chris. I mean, I'm still not _happy_ about it and I blame you in every possible way, but...it's not your fault."

Chris realized that that was as close to an apology as he was going to get. Hey, he'd take it. "Cool. Thanks."

Jessica looked past his shoulder into the bathroom. "Well, there's _no_ way I'm going back in there tonight. Bathroom's all yours."

"Awesome." He gathered his toiletries and went in. Pausing at the door, he turned his head. "Oh, and uh, Jess?"

"Yeah?" She said, raking her fingers through her wet, matted hair.

"You're still in your towel."

She only responded by shrugging her shoulders, as if being nearly naked wasn't embarrassing in the _slightest_. "Yeah. I'm aware."

"Oh. Wow. Ok. Um, I'll be right out." Chris closed the bathroom door, wishing he had an ounce of body confidence while Jessica had bucket fulls.

***

Jessica sat on her bed, texting Mike. Chris was lying in the middle of the floor. He managed to set up a make shift sleeping pallet with a blanket from the closet and a couple of throw pillows that were in desperate need of washing.

**Mike: Enjoying your stay at Casa De Creepy?**

**Jess: Well, considering we encountered a giant rat, I'm gonna have to say no.**

**Mike: OMG!!! I bet your ass was screaming as all get out. 😂😂**

**Jess: NOOO!!! Shut up, no I WASN'T!**

**Mike: And knowing Chris, he probably joined you.**

**Jess: He** **was just as scared as I was, Munroe.**

**Mike: How's he doing?**

She stole a peek over her phone at Chris. He was engrossed in a video game (big shocker). Looked like Mario or Zelda. Funny. Jessica assumed that Chris would've taken off his shirt in the heat of the hotel room. Chris was a guy. Didn't all guys sleep with their shirts off? That's what Mike did whenever he came by her dorm room. He was shameless that way, as was she, stealing away the hours by kissing, skin on skin, lips on lips, talking about the trivial things in life, stuff that didn't need _too_ much pondering. Young and forever, forever and young, oblivious to the time passing.

Chris was bundled in a gaming hoodie and sweatpants, his hair transitioning to the early stages of bedhead.

  
**Jess: Geek's fine.**

**Mike: See, I knew you'd make the best of it.**

**Jess: Well. It's still crappy, but to a lesser extent.**

**Mike: Can't wait to have you in my arms again.**

Jessica smiled and the syrupy feeling she felt in her chest made her wish he was here.

**Jess: Can't wait to feel your heartbeat.**

"Did you always want to be a model?"

Startled, she didn't realize Chris was speaking to her. Only when she shut her phone off and placed it on the nightstand did she give him her full attention. "What?"

"A model. Did you always want to be one?"

She readjusted herself so that she was lying on her stomach, her head nearly dangling off the foot of the bed. "Uh. No, actually. I thought about being a professional cheerleader."

Chris nodded. "Ah. You mean _Give me a A! Give me a B! Give me a C!_ " He pantomimed holding pom poms and all Jessica could do was roll her eyes. "Sounds like you. I mean, I don't know how people do all those flips and shit."

"Well, maybe _some people_ should lay off the Funyons."

"Funyons are a God given right and I will not disrespect our Lord and savior by depriving myself of their goodness."

"Uh, aren't you an _atheist_? Contradictory much?"

Chris cleared his throat and Jess nearly snorted at the stuffy, pretentious accent he put into his voice. "We, as humans, whose lives are meager and mild, are allowed every year to hop from belief to belief as if they were stepping stones." He quirked his eyebrow in her direction. "How was that? Did I just _blow your mind_?"

Jessica rolled onto her back, her view of him now upside down. "Yeah. You're a regular Thomas Woolf." She sighed, the dream of becoming a cheerleader dwindling, yet suffocating her. "And, well, I didn't think I'd be good enough. You know, to be a cheerleader."

" _No_?" He set down his Switch again, pausing the game. "How come?"

Something registered in Jessica. It felt as though her heart held a loose thread, swaying back and forth trying to latch onto something. Then it connected to something concrete and substantial, like an anchor settling into a raging river. It occurred to her that she knew absolutely _nothing_ about Chris? Other than the fact that he wore glasses, that hey wore layer upon layers of clothing, and that he'd been pining over Ashley for the absolute longest, she didn't know _anything_ about him. Sure, they hung out, but not together. They were also in their own groups. Chris with Ashley and Josh and her with Mike and Em-well, _used to_ with Emily.

So staring into Chris's eyes now, blue and welcoming, there was something charming about him. He wasn't movie star handsome like Mike, but he was something different. Something mild and home-y that opened Jessica's heart. "I always thought I wasn't, you know, good enough to become one." She righted herself and grabbed her pillow, clutching it on her lap. "I mean, it's a lot of work to begin with and...I didn't think I had the body for it."

"You kidding?" Chris sat up fully, tugging the hem of his black Adventure Time hoodie. "You look great. In case you forgot, I took pictures of you in different outfits for this little escapade."

"Yeah. Sure. But." She swallowed, wondering if she should tell him about her trips to the bathroom in high school, how she was a sheep and wanted to stay thin, stay beautiful, stay on top of the pyramid by doing things that she looked back on with disgust. "It's just...sometimes I think it's all I got going for me."

"What do you mean?"

Jessica set aside her pillow. "Since I was little, people always told me I was pretty. It was always, _my you're so pretty. Wow, your hair is gorgeous. Get a load of that smile._ That's it. Nothing else. It' s like that's all there is to me. Just a pretty face and nothing more. And I'm not going to say I don't enjoy the attention because honestly I do. Because it makes me feel _here_. It..." She sighed, folding her arms across her stomach. "It makes me feel that I'm worth something. Does that make sense?"

His eyes were unmoving, analytical eyes that said he was trying to dissect each of her words. "Well...that's very honest of you. And thanks for telling me that. I'm...I'm honored."

She only shrugged in response, trying to downplay the weight that's been slightly lifted from her shoulders. "It's whatever."

"Well, I know I'm not Mike, but in my opinion, I think you look great. Better than me." He gave a short laugh. "If it was me in front of the camera lens, I'd probably crack it."

Jessica swung her legs to the foot of the bed so that her feet were resting on the carpet. She scooted to the edge of the bed and slid down so that her back was to the bed. Now across from Chris, she sat cross legged and said, "Are you being funny?"

Chris opened his mouth, closed it, then shrugged. "I mean. It's true, isn't it?"

"No, it's not true, _dummy_."

"C'mon, Jess. You've seen me during the summers. I'm always the guy who refuses to swim. And when I do, I always _always_ have a shirt on." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. "Probably for the best."

A pang of guilt surged under Jessica's ribcage. All the jokes, all the teasing, all the petty comments about his body came flooding back to her. In the mauve shaded room that smelled of moth bolls and old linen, Jessica took in Chris for what he was. Gangly, but not really, with a slight paunch, lips that were in need of chapstick, and a love for Ashley that cut deep until it scraped the bone beneath the skin.

"Chris? You know Ashley's not into muscle heads, right?"

Still rubbing his eyes, he said. "I know, I know. It's just that. What if she's...I mean..." Chris continued to rub his eyes, looking as though he was trying to erase the mental image of him with his shirt off in front of Ashley. Or anyone. "I know I'm not Hercules, but...what if there's a chance that she won't like what's underneath all this?" He tugged at his hoodie. "And just the the thought of being with her _that_ way? It. It uh..."

Jessica reached out her hand and stroked Chris's arm, the way her dad did when she was younger. "Yeah?"

"It scares me. Actually, no, it fucking _terrifies_ me. And I hate that it does because she's my girlfriend. And....I just. I don't know. It feels like if I don't live up to the _standard_ , then what's the point? I'm not like Mike, Jess. Or Matt. Not like Josh either. I'm me. And me is very, truly, undeniably scared."

Honesty was a road paved with either yellow bricks or shards of glass. And those words that Chris just said made Jessica feel as though she was walking toward the Emerald City, like she was witnessing something extraordinary that only she had the pleasure of seeing. "Ok. Look. Do you love Ashley?"

"Absolutely."

"Does she love you?"

"I hope so."

"Ok. Then the barriers are gone. There's nothing to hide behind, nothing to duck cover from. That's the greatest thing about being with the one person you care about. You don't feel there need to feel ashamed for being...you. So when you're alone with her, when you realize that your heart beat matches her's, when you feel her fold into you, remember that she loves you for you. Glasses. Dorky fashion sense. Everything. You're so fearful of being naked in front of her when in actuality, both of you were naked before then."

Chris chewed the inside of his cheek, thinking over at Jessica's words. "Wow. And you came up with that?"

Jessica lugged and tapped her temple. "Well, there is _some_ brains in here."

"I'm sure it's a whole lotta brains. It's always been there."

The two regarded each other. Queen and Geek. Geek and Queen. They were fallen stars from the same universe, burning at different brightness. The warmth of the room was lulling them into sleep. 

"Hey," Chris wiped up, clapping his hands. "We better hit the hay. Don't wanna be late to our next destination."

Jessica stood and stretched. "Yeah. Probably right."

"You know I think that OH MY GOD! THE RAT"S BACK!"

Jessica screamed, looking this way and that while stomping her feet. "Where?! Where?! Where?!"

Chris then looked at her cooly, ditching his scaredy cat facade. "Gotcha."

Groaning, she took two pillows and threw them as hard as she could at his face. "Dork." Even annoyed, she still couldn't help the smile that creeped across her face.

The room was plunged into the darkness when Jessica turned off the jade shaded lamp. The moonlight sending silver bars across the room was their only light source. Laying on her side, she watched the stars accumulate in the night sky, twinkling and pulsating as if they were sending clues about her future.

"Jess?" Chris asked, his voice matted with sleep. 

Jessica sat up slightly to see him looking at her. His glasses were off and the moonlight reflected off his Irises. "Yeah?" She asked.

"Are we friends?"

She thought about it truly. "I'm not sure."

"I think I remember Ashley bringing up the idea of a...damn, what was it?" Chris snapped his fingers. "A star friendship. That's it. She picked it up from one of her books."

Intrigued, Jessica sat up fully. "And what's that?"

"So, it's basically where declared enemies mysteriously remain friends. Sounds like you and me. Once the trip is over, you know we'll go back to scrapping. But. I won't forget tonight. For the advice. Thanks." 

Jessica nodded, a warmth spreading throughout her body. "No problem."

An hour in hearing Chris snore, Jessica stood from the bed, rubbing her bare arms. On the floor near the door, she picked up the two broken pieces of the CD she broke. It occurred to her, standing there in her camisole and boy shorts, that she and Chris were like that. Two different pieces that shone in the right light. Jagged and separated, they quarreled and raised Hell. It was only when they were conjoined that they were able to paint a movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'll try to update as regular as possible! Online school sucks and work is piling up. This is one of my solaces during this time and I hope you're all doing ok.


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